Tom Kitchin: ‘We’re getting excited about vegetarian cooking again – and quite rightly so’

VEGETARIAN cooking has tended to suffer from a reputation of being bland and boring. In the past, set menus and dining out have sometimes meant the same few choices for veggies.

But there has been a huge shift in thinking, and vegetarian cooking has experienced something of a makeover. We’re starting to get excited about it again – and quite rightly so. There has been a flood of vegetarian cookbooks from top chefs, and home cooks are beginning to realise that vegetarian meals can be hugely exciting, fresh, tasty and satisfying – even for meat-eaters.

There are a number of reasons why people try to avoid meat completely, from health to environmental concerns. For the rest of us, it’s not necessarily about cutting out any one food group altogether. But I think we should all be celebrating the wealth and variety of seasonal vegetables available to us.

We are seeing an increasing number of vegetarians at the restaurant, and our vegetarian tasting menu is hugely popular with all diners, including carnivores. The key is exploring and enjoying new dishes, recipes and meals. It doesn’t have to mean substituting meat – rather it’s all about putting the vegetables in focus. If you follow this simple principle, you can create some incredible dishes that showcase a variety of textures, colours and flavours.

This is National Vegetarian Week and, while it doesn’t have to mean changing to a completely vegetarian diet, it does give us a great opportunity to try some meat-free days and maybe some new dishes that can be enjoyed by everyone. Not only are vegetables good for your health, going without meat can save you money too. That means when you do choose to eat it, you can spend a little more to ensure that what you do buy is top-quality.

Start with a bit of research into what’s in season right now. Using vegetables and ingredients that are bang in season is truly exciting, and if you plan ahead you can create a rainbow of colours on your plate – what could be more appetising, appealing and healthy? Eating more vegetables is also a fantastic way to explore your local natural larder. Now is the perfect time to enjoy an array of fresh vegetables – foods that are lighter and fresh never fail to brighten spring days.

Although there can often be a lot of peeling, chopping and balancing of different cooking times when it comes to preparing vegetables, it’s worth it. Cooking ‘à la minute’ is a technique I was taught during my time working with Alain Ducasse at his three-star Michelin restaurant in Monaco, and it’s a great way to enjoy vegetables as fresh as they come. We try to implement this technique as much as we can at the Kitchin.

‘A la minute’ means everything is cooked to order, and as soon as a cheque comes in to the kitchen, the chefs work hard to peel, chop and precisely prepare all the ingredients from scratch – including the vegetables. It really maximises the flavours and freshness of what goes on the plate.

On the other hand, vegetarian cooking doesn’t always have to require a lot of time. There are a lot of dishes that can be prepared ahead; in fact, many actually taste better this way, such as stews, curries and soups.

Whether you are cooking for yourself or for friends and family, there are many ways to fit vegetarian cooking into a busy lifestyle. If you buy fresh, seasonal produce, you really don’t have to do a lot to the ingredients in order to create delicious dishes with complimentary flavours and colours on the plate. Just throwing some fresh veg together can result in some of the most wonderful dishes – think stir-frys, salads and pastas.

May brings with it a host of fresh, wonderful produce that combines to create a perfect marriage of flavour. Fresh greens, including glorious seasonal asparagus, broad beans, lettuce, tender spinach and pungent watercress can be complemented by flashes of colour and flavour from crunchy carrots, textured artichokes and peppery radishes. You can also find a wonder of wild herbs at this time of year that can be thrown into salads and vegetable medleys to add a burst of flavour and fragrance. Try adding pulses or seeds to give extra texture and flavour to your dishes as well.

Simply boiled whole and served with melted butter, mayonnaise, hollandaise or vinaigrette for dipping the leaves, globe artichokes make a delicious starter. Once you’ve removed all the leaves, you can pull or slice off the hairy ‘choke’ and then eat the heart and the meaty bottom in a number of different dishes. I love to add them to contrasting textures of vegetables such as crunchy carrots or smooth, creamy broad beans. The colours work perfectly together and look truly appetising.

Radishes are another great seasonal vegetarian choice that are often underrated but can add depth of flavour to salads and starters. I would recommend that they are tastiest served raw, whether added to salads, marinated in vinaigrette or eaten as a snack with a sprinkling of celery salt. It’s best to pick radishes that have bright green leaves, which show freshness and quality.

You can enjoy some satisfying, tasty vegetarian meals whether you’re a strict vegetarian or not. Just try to think simple, seasonal and fresh.

Artichoke Barigoule

Serves four

4 globe artichokes

1 lemon

extra-virgin olive oil

2 carrots, sliced

2 shallots, chopped

handful broad beans

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 clove garlic, chopped

salt

pepper

100ml white wine

200ml vegetable stock

knob butter

1 tbsp spring onion, chopped

spinach, chopped into strips

1 tbsp basil, chopped

To prepare the artichokes, take a bowl of water and squeeze the juice of half a lemon into it – keep other half aside for using later.

Carefully remove the leaves from the outside of the artichokes. With a small knife, carefully remove the outer skin and cut off the tops. Cut into quarters and then remove the inner fur – which is known as the ‘choke’.

To cook, heat a heavy-bottomed pan and add a splash of olive oil, then add the artichoke and sweat for one or two minutes on a medium heat.

Add the sliced carrots, chopped shallots and broad beans. Then add the coriander seeds and chopped garlic and sweat for another minute or two, seasoning to taste.

Add the white wine and reduce until dry.

Now add a squeeze of lemon juice and cover with the vegetable stock. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the artichoke pieces are cooked. As they cook and the liquid reduces, you may need to add more stock.

Once the artichokes are cooked, add some more olive oil and a knob of butter. Finally, add the spring onion, spinach and basil.

To serve, spoon out the barigoule into a warm serving dish with a small amount of the cooking liquor.

Vegetable Salad

Serves four

2 baby gem lettuce

1 chicory endive

bunch radishes and leaves

100g peas

100g broad beans

1 spring onion, chopped

½ red onion, cut into rings

4 slices fresh bread, toasted

splash olive oil

1 clove garlic

salt

pepper

100g good-quality goat’s cheese

1 tbsp fresh mixed

herbs, chopped

For the dressing

juice of 1 lemon

zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp sugar

100ml olive oil

To make the dressing, place the lemon juice, zest and sugar together in a bowl. Put in a pan and heat on the stove in order to melt the sugar, then leave to cool.

Once cool, incorporate the olive oil and set aside.

To make the salad, you can create this dish in any way you like. Prepare the vegetables by washing and cutting or chopping them into manageable pieces. Cover the bread in olive oil and rub with a clove of garlic, then toast under the grill until crispy.

Place all of the salad ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Cut the goat’s cheese into cubes and place in the bowl with the salad. Add a tablespoon of chopped, fresh mixed herbs and drizzle with the lemon dressing.

Toss all the ingredients together and build the salad on top of the toast, ready to serve.